Yamato Matsushita
| previous affiliation = Unknown | occupation = Shinigami (Viz: Soul Reaper) Scout | previous occupation = Unknown | team = Patrol Corps | previous team = Test Group 14 | partner =''Unknown'' | previous partner =''Unknown'' | base of operations =2nd Division HQ Yamato's hideout | marital status =Single | relatives =''Unknown'' | education = | status =Active | shikai =Ichi-chinmoku | bankai =''Unknown'' }} Yamato Matsushita (松下大和; Matsushita Yamato), also known under the alias Kazama (風間; Kazama), was a member of the as a test subject of the Hidden Reaper Project, designed to plant scouts and spies in very hostile locations without backup. Upon passing the strict qualifications of the project, Yamato was tasked with infiltrating the realm of arrancar warlord Herrera Tresckow and obtain information about Herrera's personal army, known as the Red Devils. Biography Early life Yamato was born and raised in the Rukongai, entering the Shinō Academy after being determined to be spiritually strong enough to be trained as a shinigami. He exerted special talents as a student and was brought into the Onmitsukidō in order to refine his skills. He became a participant in a combat testing initiative, known as the Hidden Reaper Project, involving shinigami being trained for special operations. While training in the project, Yamato was initially grouped with other candidates labeled as Test Group 14. Then-Captain was in charge of creating and administering experimental serums designed to enhance physical and mental performance for this specific group of individuals. Kurotsuchi's was the ultimate result of his experimentation with this particular test group. Several of Yamato's comrades were removed from the program after they were deemed mentally unstable as a result of Kurotsuchi's serums. Yamato himself was subject to Kurotsuchi's superhuman drug, at various levels of dosages until an optimized amount was determined. Yamato's blood was constantly flushed to dilute the components of the drug still in his body, causing him to lose muscle mass and weight while going through the procedure. Following an optimized dosage of the superhuman drug, Yamato was incapable of standing for several weeks, to Kurotsuchi's frustrations. After several tests with the superhuman drug, Kurotsuchi went back to the formula and refined the drug. It was during this time that scientists monitoring Yamato realized that the drug was poisoning Yamato's vital organs and had a high probability of causing early-onset Alzheimer's disease. At the project director's insistence, Kurotsuchi diluted the concentration of the superhuman drug within Yamato and administered a revised formula that was much less dangerous while retaining potency. . Yamato is the first person on the left.]] The drug was successful, allowing Yamato to maintain or even surpass the athletic tests that he was subject to while under the effects of the older version of the superhuman drug. At this point, Test Group 1004 was reduced to only six subjects, from the original fifteen individuals, due to Kurotsuchi's experimental serums. Yamato's best friend was among the people who died as a result of the superhuman drug. Yamato's performance was noticeable enough that Kurotsuchi's superhuman drug was distributed and applied across test groups, though many of them suffered rather than gained from the drug's administering. As a result, Test Group 14 was scheduled to be the first group to be deployed in field tests to determine the legitimacy of the superhuman drug in an uncontrolled environment. Attached to the Onmitsukidō's Patrol Corps, due to their similar specializations, Test Group 14's deployment was delayed due to an executive order by Central 46, followed by the assassination of the entire body by . It was only after Aizen's sentencing that the Test Group was permitted to proceed. The group of six individuals were all assigned different dimensions and locations, preventing them from contacting each other in any form. First deployment As the first individual who passed the strict qualifications to become an operative, Yamato was deployed to Hueco Mundo. His mission was to infiltrate Las Noches, known to be the headquarters of warlord Herrera Tresckow, and obtain information about the army garrisoned within the fortress. Initially, Yamato donned a disguise and attempted to pose as a member of the hollow army. However, Herrera noticed that something was amiss and Yamato was forced to fake his own death to abandon his disguise. Instead, Yamato resorted to pure sneaking tactics to take advantage of his ability to remain completely undetected, using a portable dimensional gate as his hideout. He was able to map the majority of Las Noches throughout his missions as well as memorize a significant portion of the fortress's layout. His knowledge of Las Noches made him an invaluable contact in the search for the nine jinki fragments within the Hueco Mundo dimension. Reaper Controversy When Yamato returned from his mission, he discovered that the Hidden Reaper Project was at risk of collapse from the relative cost-benefit in utilizing single agents opposed to an expeditionary force. At the front of the opposition to the project was his deceased best friend's sister, Makoto Kawanakajima. Torn between his duty to the Hidden Reapers and to his friend's legacy, Yamato was incapable of taking a side. The project was eventually shut down from growing unpopularity, causing Yamato to be formally reassigned to the Patrol Corps. However, his dissatisfaction with division life and the feeling of alienation because of his special operations training caused Yamato to leave Soul Society. Because of this, declared him a renegade for abandoning his post and placed a bounty for his arrest. Personality and traits Although a skilled warrior, Yamato was very gullible. He believed nearly everything that was told to him, though he retained an excellent memory. Because of his memory, Yamato rarely fell for the same tricks twice, becoming more street smart with every mistake he realized. It was rumored that he inherited his gullibility from drug poisoning. As one of the first agents to have passed the requirements to put the Hidden Reaper Project into its first field test, Yamato was highly dedicated to sticking to his training and project protocol, often requiring him to operate alone in the field. He often grumbled when circumstances force him to either manipulate or break his training protocol altogether. Yamato often downplayed his abilities and skill. He was not fond of receiving any extra attention than what was necessary to complete his mission. When given a compliment, Yamato simply accepted it and continued on with what he was doing, regardless of what was being said. Equipment Portable dimensional gate: A handheld device created by the Research and Development Institute, the portable gate allowed Yamato to slip into his hideout in order to rest. It consumed a lot of energy to operate, preventing Yamato from utilizing it as a getaway device. Cell phone: Yamato sends and receives his information from Soul Society through his cell phone. It was designed to cause minimal interference with the atmosphere, reducing the chance of its user being discovered. Powers and abilities Expert Combatant: Because of the length of his dagger-sized zanpakutō, Yamato focused more strongly on the usage of hand-to-hand combat methods than swordsmanship. Rather than focus on speed or raw power, Yamato focused on redirection and crippling blows to defend himself against multiple opponents at once. Although this style was considered the most difficult to master, Yamato proved himself to be quite capable of using it to devastating effect. Yamato often used hakuda with his sealed zanpakutō, holding it in an icepick grip. *'Raiōken' (雷王拳; lit. "Thunder King Fist"): A technique that involved a rapid flurry of punches. Yamato was known to incorporate slashing moves into this technique. *'Hangekiken' (反撃拳; lit. "Counterattacking Fist"): Yamato used this technique as a reactive move, striking his opponent moments before being struck by the attack. In doing so, Yamato would inflict injury while redirecting his opponent's attack in the brief moment of pain. Expert Assassin: If it becomes required, Yamato could proficiently eliminate single targets quietly. However, he preferred to avoid doing so if there were better alternatives, since missing individuals can quickly raise his enemy's suspicion while on his stealth mission. Enhanced Strength: As a hakuda combatant, Yamato constantly displayed great strength, breaking bones of enemies who were much larger than himself. He could also maintain uncomfortable, elevated positions while sneaking around complexes for long periods of time. His physical prowess was greatly enhanced as a result of Mayuri Kurotsuchi's superhuman drug. Quick Reaction Time: Because of the superhuman drug, Yamato could react quickly to his surroundings at astonishing levels, even surprising veteran combatants. Expert: Although he noted that shunpo was too noticeable by others for his line of work, Yamato displayed strong skill in using shunpo in dodging attacks, positioning himself for offensive hakuda techniques. He also exhibited excellent , thanks to Kurotsuchi's superhuman drug. Reiatsu Cloaking: Yamato's special training enabled him to completely hide his spiritual presence, bypassing powerful detection abilities without incident. However, he can still be spotted visually. Sneaking Expert: Although he cannot become completely invisible, Yamato was well versed in the art of sneaking, allowing him to slip past people undetected, even in very close proximity. He is capable of holding his breath for ten minutes. Excellent Memory: Yamato rarely forgot details and learned from his mistakes while on missions. He was able to remember patrol patterns through Las Noches after attentive observation. Zanpakutō Ichi-chinmoku (一沈黙; lit. "one who silences") was Yamato's zanpakutō, resembling a single-edged tantō. Due to its small size, Yamato often kept the weapon sheathed across a chest strap for easy access. Ichi-chinmoku was rarely released by Yamato, though its sealed form saw heavy use in Yamato's hakuda style. : : Activated with the phrase "Kill the noise," (音殺す; oto korosu; lit. "kill the sound"), Ichi-chinmoku's blade length extends, more closely resembling a kodachi. Yamato mentioned that his shikai was unsuitable for working together with allies, using this as an excuse to operate alone whenever possible. ::Shikai special ability: Upon the release of his shikai, all zanpakutō that were released within its vicinity become sealed until Ichi-chinmoku itself returned to sealed state, preventing the use of other peoples' zanpakutō abilities. This did not affect the use of kidō and other spells, however, suggesting that it only suppressed powers. : : Not achieved yet. Behind the scenes Yamato was largely inspired by the ''Metal Gear'' series, specifically ''Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater''. His mannerisms take some inspiration from the Metal Gear series' protagonist Solid Snake. Category:Articles by LaviBookman Category:Onmitsukido Category:Shinigami